Chapter 18
Coming Home
A/N: My muse, Maggie, is simple girl. All she likes are plot bunnies and reviews. So be kind to Maggie and feed her review cookies please.
Big thanks to my beta Lbandoly for her hard work. She has spent countless hours editing and providing plot help for my stories. She makes my writing possible.
No copyright infringement intended. All characters are the property of JKR, Scholastic, and any number of other companies with more money than I've ever dreamed of seeing. I didn't make any money off of this, so please don't sue.
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The weeks passed quickly, far too quickly if you asked Draco or Ginny. The harvest seemed to occupy every waking moment for Draco while Ginny spent endless hours preparing for the harvest celebration and to send their three children to three different schools. Ginny was beginning to wonder if she had spent more time traveling back and forth to the nearest town than she actually had spent at home over the past month.
It was a virtual nightmare to even dare taking all three kids with her to do their shopping and no matter how hard she tried; they never could seem to gather everything they needed in one trip. Thankfully Isaac was finally old enough that his trips were fairly simple. He knew what he needed and didn't need. The only reason he allowed her to take him was because it was something they had always done. Still they had made no less than three trips on his behalf.
Katharine was the worst. The burgeoning peer pressure that comes with being a pre-teen girl had truly caught up to her. She wanted to look like all the other girls. It had led to endless hours of discussions on what was proper attire for a little girl. More than one trip had been ruined by said young lady throwing a fit when she wasn't allowed the tiny skirts that all her friends where wearing. Ginny had finally threatened to buy all her new school clothes without allowing her daughter any input whatsoever to get her to see that mum's word was law.
Serenity couldn't seem to understand why her mother insisted that she have a new set of muggle clothes when she was going to a wizarding school. It had taken very little to persuade the child into seeing that it was always best to be prepared with a little of everything. Ginny knowing other muggle borns would do the same allowed her daughter a trip for typical school supplies as well for pens, notebooks, and other items that her daughter would be more used to for notes and such instead of always sticking to parchment, quills, and ink pots.
Finally the day for the harvest to begin in earnest arrived. Like every year before it anyone and everyone worked the vines. The harvest celebration had gone off without a hitch in the same fashion it had gone every year prior lasting well into the night.
Two hard weeks later the harvest was complete. Despite Draco's urging Ginny had not been able to fit in a trip to her parent's home over the weeks after their visit. The day before their scheduled departure it showed that Ginny was more than eager to see her homeland and family again.
"Ginny if you don't sit still for five bloody minutes, I'm going to dose you with a calming and sleeping draught. Heavens woman all this nervous movement is driving me round the twist."
Ginny scowled at her husband. "Well excuse me Mr. Calm and Collected. I didn't realize the state of my nerves was such a putout for you."
"Ginevra you know damn well that is not what I meant. Don't you dare go twisting my words around on me like that. I just want you to calm down. Everything will be fine tomorrow."
"How can you say that?"
"I can say that because the important people have known for weeks and nothing terrible has happened."
"There are five people there that know Draco. It's not like there is a notice in the Prophet just yet. We don't know how everyone else is going to take this."
"Does it really matter? The people that do know are happy. What does it matter if anyone else has a problem with us?"
"I'm just worried."
"About some random stranger saying something? Hell witch you can count on that. I'm sure you'll hear more than an earful about being married to a Deatheater. But Ginny we know the truth. What some gossiping old bitty has to say shouldn't mean anything to you."
"It's not the gossiping old bitties as you put it that I'm worried about. Mum hasn't told my brothers."
Draco looked at her funny. "Why not?"
"She says she wants them to see it for themselves."
"Sweet Merlin's spotted boxer shorts how long have you known this plan?"
"Since this morning. She sent an owl to say that Narcissa has invited everyone to dinner tomorrow night. She has managed to get everyone to agree to meet at the Burrow and go by portkey to the manor but she didn't bother telling them where they were going or why."
Draco rubbed his forehead. "That isn't going to go over well with at least one of your brothers."
"No shit."
"We could owl them tonight. By the time they have read them, we should already be there."
"No mom's right. The boys are thick sometimes. They really are `see it to believe it' types. Okay maybe not so much the twins or Charlie, but the rest are."
"Then I'll remember to stand behind something solid when Ronald sees me. I don't fancy getting hexed my first night back."
Ginny giggled. "I'll protect you."
"Sure you will wench."
"What? I can you know. I have a nasty bat boggie hex."
Draco cringed. "As I well recall thank you very much. If I never see that hex cast again it will be too soon."
"Aw, does it still give you nightmares?"
"Witch you best stop right there or you'll pay."
"Ha. Your bark is far worse than your bite Mr. Malfoy."
Draco shook his head wondering when he had lost the ability to intimidate his wife. "Are you done packing?"
"I finished a week ago."
"You and your incessant need to pack weeks in advance."
"You should be used to it after all these years."
"I am. That doesn't stop me from being mystified by it." Draco pulled his wife down to sit next to him. "Are the kids all set?"
"Yeah. Isaac has his school trunks packed waiting for us to get back. He says he packed a separate trunk for the trip. I'm sure he has it in hand. Sere's trunks are in her room waiting, we finished them yesterday. Katharine apparently didn't like what I packed for her so she and I had a little of a round and round about her bags for the trip this afternoon. I should probably recheck them after she goes to sleep to make sure she hasn't put something back in there that I told her she couldn't take."
"Dare I ask?"
"She has a couple skirts that she got too tall for two summers ago that I have let her wear around the house all summer. I've never once let her out of this yard in them, but for some reason she thought I would allow her to wear them on the trip."
"I still don't get it."
"Draco honey I think it's safe to say our baby is trying to grow up too fast. The older girls wear short skirts so she wants to as well."
Draco groaned. "I hadn't noticed."
Ginny huffed. "That's because you don't want her to grow up. You want to put a brick on her head and demand she stay your little girl forever."
Draco grinned. "I wouldn't be upset in that case. You can't say anything. You cried the moment you realized Isaac was no long technically a baby but rather a toddler."
She swatted at his thigh playfully. "Oh shut it you."
Draco leaned in and gave his wife a slow kiss. "I'm going to check to make sure I left everything in the office in order I'll be back in soon."
"Okay."
"Gin go take a calming draught after you check Kat's bag. I'll be to bed before you know it."
Ginny rolled her eyes as her husband got up from the sofa and walked out of the room.
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Morning broke warm and sunny over the vineyard. Draco and Ginny had rolled out of bed at their typical six AM to begin their day. The luggage was all portkeyed ahead to Malfoy Manor, breakfast fixed, and final arrangements left with Clara and Amadeo.
"You lot have ten minuets to get your bums down here so we can leave!" Draco's voice echoed through the manor. Almost instantly the kids made their way downstairs to where their parents were waiting. The girls had made sure to dress nicely both knowing how particular their grandmother could be about their state of dress. More than a couple times she had forced them to change their clothing during their annual holiday. Neither had a set of robes that fit so they had stuck to dresses, but neither doubted that problem wouldn't be rectified before the end of the trip.
Ginny looked each the children over. "Okay no one is forgetting anything correct, because I'm not popping home to grab a forgotten toothbrush or missing book?"
A chorus of "yes mum's" made her smile. "Well okay then. Put a single finger on the portkey and wait."
Draco held out an empty wine bottle he had primed with the location to his family home. As soon as everyone had their fingers on the bottle Draco tapped the bottle with the tip of his wand. "Portus." A moment later the familiar feeling of being hooked at the navel and drawn into oneself gripped the group. Years of traveling this way still couldn't ease Ginny's dislike for the mode of transportation. It always left her feeling oddly disquieted. Moments after they left their home, they were deposited none too gently on the front lawn of Malfoy Manor.
The grand double doors to the manor swung open before the group ever made it up the walk that led to them. A small elf with pointy ears, wearing what looked like what might once have been the curtains from the dinning room appeared in the doorway. "Master Draco?" The elf squealed with delight before running into the entrance hall calling for his mistress. "Mistress, Master Draco is homes! Mistress comes quickly to see."
Narcissa hurried from her small private sitting room at the urgent sound of her house elf in such a state. "Do calm yourself Uric. I did know of their impending arrival. Whose trunks did you believe you were receiving just a few hours ago?"
"Uric didn't know Mistress. Ise thoughts they were for ones of the charity homeses yous do work for mistress."
Narcissa shook her head at the elf. "Please bring tea to the sitting room for our guests Uric."
"Yes mistress." The elf winked out of sight just as Draco, Ginny, and the kids made their way up to the door.
"Mother."
Narcissa smiled and threw her arms around her son. True she had seen Ginny and the kids somewhat frequently over the years, but she hadn't seen her son. He squirreled himself away claiming to be busy with the vineyard anytime she had called through the country. "Oh my Dragon. Dear me you have grown up."
"It has been known to happen mother."
"Here less than five minuets and you're already being sharp with me. No wonder the girls have such smart mouths." Cissa let her mumbling son go and turned to sit on her heels in front of the girls. "Speaking of my two favorite young ladies, can I get a hug?" The two girls ran into their grandmother's waiting arms nearly knocking the woman off her knees.
Sere couldn't contain herself any longer. "Grandmum I'm going to Hogwarts."
Narcissa smiled at the beaming girl. "I know. Your mum and dad told me. I'm glad you get to go sweetheart. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Soon Katharine will be there to join you. You just wait and see the years will fly by before you know what happened."
The girls finally let go allowing Narcissa to stand once more and let their mum get a quick hug. "It's good to see you Narcissa."
"Dear Circe Ginevra how long will it take you to start calling me Mum? Merlin knows I've told you to a million times or more."
Ginny laughed. After seventeen years she still couldn't bring herself to call Narcissa Mum. She just didn't strike her as the mum sort even if she was her husband's mother. "I'll try to remember."
"Please do. Now Isaac, get over her and give me a hug."
Draco looked at his son. He had grown out of wanting to give hugs years ago but he rarely was able to escape his mother when she wanted one. There would be no escaping his grandmother.
"Dear me you must have grown a foot since last summer. Whatever are they feeding you at that school of yours?"
"Just normal food grandmum."
"Yes I suppose they are. You've rightly earned that height of yours from your father and grandfather. You're the spitting image of your father at your age. Don't you agree Ginny?"
"Indeed he is," she agreed with a smile.
Narcissa finally stepped back from her grandson, "Dear me I've left us all standing about in the hall like a totally socially inept fool. Let's go in the sitting room and have tea."
"That sounds lovely Narcissa. Sorry Mum."
Narcissa smiled as Ginny corrected herself. She led the group through the hall to the small private sitting room that she kept near the back of the house. Uric had already laid out the tea service and a platter of fresh hot chocolate biscuits. The girls each took one of Narcissa's hands and allowed her to lead them through the house. Draco wrapped his arm around Ginny's waist and walked with her while their son walked next to his grandmother and sisters.
Ginny whispered to her husband. "Are you glad to be back?"
"I don't know. Ask me again after dinner."
She smiled and shook her head. "You still plan on hiding behind something solid when Ronald gets here."
"No. You promised to hex him remember."
She laughed. "Only if he tries to hex you first."
"Not worried about him hexing you then?"
"With Mum around, not a chance. I'll worry about that when it's just he and I in the same room together."
The group gathered in the sitting room that Draco noted had been redecorated. What once had been a darkroom that he typically thought of being his mother's brooding room was now decorated in light floral prints. The two sofas and matching high back chairs were covered in inviting beige that worked nicely against the wood floors. The style of the room seemed more fitting for Gin than for his mother. That alone said a lot about the changes she had gone through after he had left. "You changed the room?"
Narcissa nodded. "I've redone nearly every room in the house. The only rooms that were left as they were are your nursery and your private suite as a child. Okay I did change it some, but the wallpaper is still that unseemly quidditch pattern that you loved so much. Why in the world you insisted it be covered ceiling to floor in quidditch wallpaper always did escape me."
"Mother I was five when we decorated that room. I liked what every little wizard liked. I still do for that matter."
Ginny laughed at her husband. "Boys and their brooms."
Narcissa smiled. "Indeed. Well I did have Uric place Isaac's things in there anyway. Though Isaac, you're more than welcome to stay in another room if it's too childish for your tastes. We could pick an empty suite and let you decorate it too your liking."
"I'm sure it will be fine grandmother. It might be sort of cool to stay where dad did as a kid."
Narcissa shook her head. "You and your strangle muggle slang words. I don't believe I'll ever understand half the things that come out of your mouth."
"Aw grandmother you know you like it."
"Do stop teasing. It's very ungentlemanly of you."
Sere and Kat were all but bouncing in their seats. "Where are we staying?"
"Right down the hall from your brother. I spent a great deal of time this past month making sure you two had rooms that were perfectly suited for my baby girls. I am sure you'll be pleased. It was very nice to have a reason to give this old manor an excuse to have rooms filled with girly things."
"Can we see them?"
"Finish your tea and then you may. Uric has already unpacked for you but you might want to get yourself situated in general before you inevitably decide to go exploring the rest of the house."
Draco watched Ginny fidgeting with her empty tea cup and placed his hand on her knee to try and calm her. "Mother, you don't mind if we excuse ourselves do you? There are a few things I would like to show Ginny."
"No, not at all. Should I expect you for lunch or send Uric with a picnic basket when it's nearing that hour?"
Draco smiled at Ginny. There was a place on the far end of the property by the edge of the forest that was perfect for a picnic lunch. It was also far enough from the house that he thought he might be able to get Ginny to relax for a bit before dinner. "Send the basket. Girls do mind your grandmother for a bit please. Mum and I will be around. Uric can find us if you need anything."
"Yes dad."
"Isaac, I do believe you might want to pay a visit to the library after you have settled in. There are other volumes there that might help you with your study of the animagus transformation if you are still interested."
"Thanks dad."
Draco smiled as he rose from his seat. "You're welcome." He took his wife's hand and pulled her up from her seat before guiding her from the room. "Come on there is lots here you just have to see."
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